Heel breast flap laying and flap trimming machine



0st. 11, 1932. .J. GOULDBOURN 1,382,077

HEEL BREAST FLAP LAYING AND FLAP TRIMMING' MACHINE Filed July 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 11, 1932. J. GOULDBOURN HEEL BREAST FLAP LAYING AND FLAP TRIMMING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 I N I' JOSEPH GOULDBO'URN, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T UNITED SHOE MACHIN- EEY CORPOR-AT'IGN, 0F EATER-SON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION NEW JERSEY I HEEL BREAST FLAP LAYING AND FLAP TRIMM ING MACHINE Application filed July 25, 1928, Serial No. 295,219, and in Great Britain July 28, 1927.

This invention relates tomethods of and.

machines for covering heels of shoes and is herein exemplified in itsappl cation to laying breast flaps on heels prior to the attachment of their toplifts.

In the manufacture of shoes having wood heels, and for example as heels of the Louis type, it is customary to cover the sides and the rear portionof each of the heels with a in single piece of covering material before the heel is attached to a shoe and, after securing the heel in itsproper position on the shoe, to cover the breast portion of the heel with an adhesive-covered breast flap which has been split from the sole of the shoe. Before laying the breast flap, the heel toplift generally has been secured to the heel and it has been customary to make a butt oint between the bottom of the flap and the attaching face of the toplift.

It is also often the practice to cut the breast flap a little longer than is necessary to abut against the toplift in order to tuck the end portion of the flap under thefront part of the toplift which front part is slightlyseparated from the toplift attaching face of the heel by the operator, the toplift being permanently secured in place upon the heel again as soon as the tucking-in has taken place.

It is also customary to apply the toplift to the heel-lift attaching face of the heel after the breast flap has been laid. With the toplift attaching face of the heel thus uncovered, a

neat and very satisfactory way of completing the laying of the adhesive-covered breast flap on the heel of the shoe is to form a tab at the end of the flap, which tab, during the process of conforming the flap to the heel, is turned over on the toplift attaching face of the heel and secured thereto.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive machine against which the toplift attaching face of the heel is rested and trimming the end portion of the flap so positioned to form a tab arranged to be laid upon the toplift attaching face of the heel.

In its machine aspect, the invention provides a novel flap-cutting and tab-forming organization comprising, in the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, a cutting table arranged to support a marginal portion of a heel covering extending beyond a corner of a heel to which the covering is attached and a cutter having a surface against which a side of the heel adjacent to said corner may be rested to position the portion of the heel covering relatively to the cutter, the cutter having a cutting edge constructed and arranged to form a tab upon the portion of the covering extending beyond the corner of the heel and also being constructed and arranged to trim surplus material from the portion of the covering.

The mechanism for forming the tab and trimming the end of the flap covering is provided with a knife having a lobe shaped cutting edge and having wings which have faces arranged in substantially the same plane and extending laterally from the ends of the lobe cutting edge to serve as a combined work rest and gage against which the heel may be positioned preparatory to the trimming operation.

The machine illustrated as embodying the invention and by the aid of which the method of the invention may advantageously be practised will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the head of the machine;

Fig. 2 illustrates the tool which has been broken away from the left end of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates a sectional view of the machine taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the flap trimming cutter;

Fig. 5 illustrates a sectional view taken on the line VV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of applicants cutting knife;

Fig. 7 illustrates a portion of a breast flap which has been trimmed at its end by the cutter;

Fig. 8 is aperspective View of the trim;

ming' cutter and a rotary toothed milling V away to show details of construction;

. Fig. 9 is a perspective view taken from the left and rear endof Fig. land showing parts of the rotary toothed milling cutter partly assembled better to illustrate the structures; 7

Fig. 10 is a perspectiveview of the breast flap which has been applied tothe: heel of ashoe,pa rt of the breast flapbeing broken away to show more clearly the heel breast surface of thewooden heel before the. flap has been laid; and

Fig. 11 isa sectional view of a breast flap:

laying tool taken on the line XI-XI of Fi I I The illustrated machine comprises mechanism for laying an adhesive-coated breast covering flap upon the heel breast of a shoe "to which the heel is attached, the breast flap being long enough to extend beyond the toplift attaching face of the heel, mechanism for trimming the end portion of the breast 'flap to form a flap tab which is laid, upon the heel-lift attaching face of the heel, and

mechanism for skiving the tab after it has been laid.

The machine includes a standard 2 (Fig.

. having ahead 4 mounted thereon, which head forms a support for two bear1ngs6,'8.

A shaft 10 extending from side to side of the head is mounted for rotation in the bean ings and carries on it mounted for rotation therewith a driving pulley 12 located between the bearings. At the left end "of the shaft 10 (as viewed in Fig. 5) isa section 14 of reduced diameter which section is threaded for the reception of the bossed end 16 of a flap beater 18 which heater is used for laying anadhesive-coated breast flap192 upon the breastsurface of a heel.

, 7 Also mounted upon the reduced portion of the shaft 10 is a toothed milling'cutter part I 20 which is held for rotation with the shaft between'a shoulder 22 formed between the shaft and its reduced portion and the bossed end of the flap beater 18 which has a thread ed recess 24 in its end adapted to receive the threaded section 14 of the shaft'lO, the flap beater being-screwed tightly against the face 26 of the toothed milling, cutter.

The part 20 of the toothed milling cutter includes a hub portion'28'havingmounted thereon circumferentially spaced radially and airially extending teeth 30, which teeth are arranged to engage teeth 32 on a part 34 of the rotary toothed'milling cutter in staggered overlapping relationship in an axial'direction, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8. The part 34 has a hubportion 36 loosely mounted on the shaft 10 and is provided with a reduced hub portion 38 which overlaps a sleeve 40 in an axial direction, the sleeve being mounted to rotate with the'part 34 of thecutter bymeans of a short stud 42. cutter used for. skiving, parts being broken It isl-thu's clear that 'the'part- 2Q'ofthe toothedmilling cutter causes rotation of the interengagementabove described. The milling cutter is used for the purpose ofskiving the tab portion=of aheel breast flap, which tab portion is laid over the heel-lift attaching the shoe, as will later be face of the heel of describedfi V The sleeve 4 0'has a circumferential groove 44 therein in which groove is mounted a yoke 46, which practically encircles the sleevejand':

carries between'itsends (Figs. 5 and 9) afelt' pad 48 which is saturated with lubricating oil. :A bracket 50, through 'whichthe' yoke may be moved in an axi'al'direction to vary the'amount of longitudinal overlapping of the milling cutter teeth 30 and 32and hence thewidth of the cutting face of said cutter,

is attached to the yoke.

Y Extending from the head 4 is an arm (Fig. 8). having a forwardly extending flange 54 atits end, which flange has an opening 56(Fig. 1)therein for the reception of a threaded pin 58. The bracket has also a threaded opening through which the pin 58 passes, an opening 60 being providedin the other part of said cutter throughthe teeth head of the machine for supportingly receiving the end portion of said pin. The pin 58 is provided with a knurled head 62 for conveniently turning the pin and with a lock nut 64 which is located inside the forwardly extending portion of the arm 52 for holding the pin in place.

The iaxially overlapping engagement of the part 20 of said cutter thereby changing the width of the cutting face as mentioned above; v Mounted for support between the forwardly extending flange of the arm 52 and the head 4 is another pin 66, which pin serves as amount for a combined work support and gage used for presenting the" work to the rotary milling cutter. The work support comprises a pair of blocks 68, 70, the block 68 being rotatable about the pin 66 but having no. axial movement, on said pin; The

block 7 O is mounted upon a sleeve 7 2, having at each 'end radially extending flanges'74, the sleeve 72 being loosely mounted upon the pin 66;thus providing for rotation of the block 70 around the pin as 'well as for axial movement ofthe block 70] along the pin."

The bracket is mounted upon the sleeve 7 2 and is contiguous with the block 70,.the bracket having an opening therethrough adapted to receive thesleeve 7 2. It will be noted (as shown in Fig. 8) that any movement of the bracket 50 in an axial direction will cause a corresponding axial movement of the block 70. 7

Attached to the block 68 is a depending frame 7 6 to which is fixed at its lower portion a work supporting bar 7 8 having a slot 80 extending therethrough. Attached to the block 70 is a depending frame 82, which de-' pending frame has a forwardly protruding pin 84 attached to its lower part, the pin passing through the slot and being adapted to slide'in said slot as the depending frame 82 moves toward and away from the depending frame 7 6. A plate 86is mounted on the depending frame 76 and extends into a slot 88 in the other depending frame 82. The depending frames 7 6 and 82 together with the supporting bar 7 8 and the plate 86 form an opening 8 for presenting the tab portion of the breast flap of the shoe, which has been laid on the heel-lift attaching face of the heel, to the rotary milling cutter. Asshown in Fig. 10, at the time that the tab is skived the side covering has been turned over the side and rear edges of the heel-lift attaching face of the heel as designated by reference character 212. The width of the opening is increased or' decreased according to the size of the tab to be skived, it being the function of the depending frames 7 6 and 82 to protect the overturned edge 212 as well as to form a sup port against which the heel-lift attaching face may be rested, as shown in Fig. 3.

A spring-pressed plunger 90 (Fig. 8) is seated in a recess in the arm 52, the plunger being adapted to be yieldingly held into one of two ii-shaped recesses 92 and 94 in the block 68. The effect of the plunger 90 in the recess 94 is to steady the work support and to prevent it from easily lifting up for rotation on its blocks. If it is desired toraise the work support and to hold it away from the milling cutter for any purpose, the plunger 90 is brought into engagement with the recess 92 in the block 68 by forcibly raising the work support to throw the plunger out of the recess 94 and continuing to raise the support until the plunger engages the recess 92.

The lower end of the depending portion 82 is provided with a downwardly protruding lug 96 having a threaded opening therein adapted to receive a threaded adjustable stop 98 the endof which bears upon the yoke 46 and provides a means for changing the position of the work support relatively to the milling cutter to vary the amount of material to be skived from the thickness of the tabon the heel-lift attaching face of the heel.

Located above the bearing 6 on the upwardly extending frame part 100 is a knife carrier the rear portion 106 of the knife carrier 102.

The knife carrier includes a forwardly extending flared portion 108having another forwardly flared extension 110 at one side thereof, which extension has a beveled slot 112 located therein. On the top ofthe rear portion of the knife carrier is mounted a' forwardly extending lug 114, which lug also extends rearwardly to form a face 116which extends over a top surface 118 on the frame of the machine. Contact ofthe face 116 and the topsurface 118 of the frame determines the maximum downward movement of the knife carrier.

Extending forwardly from the lower part of the frame member 100 is a cutting table support 120 covered on its upper surface with a soft metal sheet 122 which forms the cutting bed for the flap to be trimmed; i

The flap-trimming and tab-forming knife or cutter 124, which is shown in detail in Fig. 6 (see too Fig. 8), comprises a body portion 126 having a pair of laterally extending wings 128, the wings having substantially flat front faces 130. The lower lobe cutting edge of the knife is in the shape of the letter W and in addition has wing cutting edges 132 extending laterally from the open ends of the W. The lateral wings 128 of the knife have bevels 134 extending rearwardly for clamping the knife to the knife carrier. The

rear portion of the knife has a U-shaped rearwardly bulged portion 136 which extends from top to bottom of the knife and is adapted to fit snugly in a recess in the front face of the forwardly extending portion 108 of the knife carrier 102. In the front face of the knife are two recesses 138, 138 which extend from the top of the knife at its front face to the rear of the knife at its cutting edge. Thesetwo recesses are separated by a centrally located cutting snipper 140 having a cutting edge 141 which extends almost to the plane of the front faces 130. The pur pose of the snipper 140 will appear later.

The knife 124 and knife carrier 102are held in fixed predetermined relation to one another by a clamp 142. A threaded screw 144 is fixedly mounted on one side of the forwardly extending portion of the knife holder, which screw is adapted to pass through an opening in the clamp. The clamp is provided with a rounded flanged protuberance 146, which enters a vertical groove in the side of the forwardly extending portion of the knife carrier, and also with a beveled vertically extending face 148 which is adapted to engage the rearwardly extending bevel 134 of the knife. A winged nut 150 is adapted to be screwed uponthe screw 144 to tightly se-.

-- stud inadjusted position on the knife. The r cure the. clamp in place for the p'urposeabove -Extendingxupwardly from the top ofthe knife 124: is a threaded stud 152 screwed into arthreaded recessl5e' in 'thenpper surface of-.;-the knife, which stud maybe verticallyregulatedto position the knife heightwise to the knife carrier 102by contact of the head of-the stud152 with the lower surface of aforwardly' extending lug 156 on the knife carrier 102. A. lock nut158is located against the uppers'urface of the knife to retain the action of the clamp 142 is generally sufficient to maintain the knife carrier 102andthe knife-124 in fixed relation to'one anotherr Pressure of the head of the threaded stud 152 against the forwardly extending lug 156; re

lieves the work of the-clamp during the cutting operation so'. that there can not be any relative movementbetween the knife and the knifecarrierduring said operation.

In order to reciprocatetheknife carrier 102,-an arm 160 (Figs. 3 and 4), movement .of which may be effected by suitable means, .is pivotally mounted on a pin 162 supported between rearwardly extending flanges 16 1 of the upwardly extending portion 100 of the frame, theiarm160 having aspherical-shaped head 166 carried on a shank portion 168 of the arm, The shank portion 168 passes through an opening 170 in the frame-of the machine, the spherical portion being seated in an opening 17 2 in the knife carrier 102 In orderto provide for taking up the wear between the upwardly extendingpart of.

the frame and the knifercarrier 102 and to insure proper sliding contactbetween the knife carrier and theupwardly extending.

frame part, theupwardly extending frame part has; a plurality of openings for the reception of adjusting screws 174 whichabut against a set plate v1 7 6. The knife is normally in itsraised position, the weightof is screwed upon the reduced portion 14; of

the shaft 10. The flap beater 18 includes an elongated rod substantially circular in crosssection, and having a central axially extend ingico'nvex portion 17 8 and a pair of'axially extendingconcave portions 180, toward the ends of the flap beater. The heater is also provided with a plurality of-longitudinally extending flat surfaces 182 which are spaced cir-cumferentially around the surface of the beater which is substantially circular in cross section, thereby forming alternate curved longitudinally, extending surfaces 181 and longitudinally extending fiat surfaces 182. P

At theleft extremity; of the beater, (as

viewed in Fig. 2) Lislocated a'corner breaking tool having an outwardly flared, port-i0n184:

of large diameter and a stub portion 186 of substantially circular cross-section and having a very slighttaper extending fr'omthe face of the flared portion 'to the rounded end 188 of-the stub. The stub makes a sharp an- 'gle withitheflared portion 181 and prefer-. ably has aseries offlat portion 190.011-

V convex portion 17 8 of the breast flap beater 18 .as shownin Fig. 11, the alternating flat sur-.

faces 182 and the curved surfaces 181 thereon serving-to conform the flap to the breast of the heel of the shoe. After the breast fiap.

192 hasbeen secured to the breast of the heel, the surplus flap 19 1 (Figs; 3, 7 and 10), extending over the. corner formed by the heel breastand the heel-lift attaching face of the heel; is laid upon the cutting bed 122 of the machineand the toplift-attaching face 206 of the heel isrested against the fiat front faces 130 of'the laterally extending :Wings 128 of theeknife 12 1 as illustrated in Fig; 3. By

positioning" the heel-lift attaching face of the heel against th'e flat front faces 130 of the knife whichserve as a Work rest and gage,

the operator determines the correct amount of surplus material to be taken from the flap and the positionof the "breast flap tab 196 to be formed- Theknife severs excess material 194 from the flap 192 in such a manner as to form shoulders 200, which are cut flush with the corner formed between the heel-lift attaching face of the heel and the breast of the heel as shown at 208, and a tab portion 196 to be turned over on the heel-lift attaching face of the heel and secured thereto within the turned over side and rear edges 212 of the side covering 202 (Fig. 10). The split tab shown inFig. 10 is especially suitablefor laying-over the heel-lift attaching face of a heel when the fiapismade of relatively stiff leather. A typical flap 192 which has been trimmed by the use of the machine above described is illustrated in Fig- 7, the numeral 19 1 designating the surplus material that has been trimmed with said flap. 'The trimmed flap-192 has a tab 196 having a central split 198. made byithe s ipper-140 (Figs. 6 and 8).

The flap is next laid tightly against the breast of the heel adjacent to the corner formed between the heel-lift attaching face and the breast of the heel, and the tab is ironed on the heel-lift attaching face of the heel by placing the heel-lift attach ng face of the heel against. the face 210 of. the outwardly extending flange of the corner breale er, the breast of the heel near the corner formed between the breast of the heel and theheel-lift attachingface of the heel being in contact with the stub 186 of the corner breaker. The corner breaker is of such a size that the face 210 lays the entire tab tightly upon the heel-lift attaching face of the heel while the stub portion is beating down the portion of the breast of the heel near the corner formed between the breast of the heel and the heel-lift attaching face of the heel. i

After the tab has been laid, it is slrived to form a better seat for a toplift. The skiving is done by placing the heel in the position on the work supporting bar 78 of the rotary milling cutter shown in the lower part of Fig. 3.

The width of the cutting face of the toothed milling cutter 20, 34 desired is readily de termined by placing the heel-lift attaching face of the heel against the opening 87 and adjusting the knurled head 62 until. the opening is of proper width to take a proper skive from the tab 196. Since the part 34rof the rotary-milling cutter moves axially on the shaft 10 with the depending frame 82 and the part 20 of the rotary milling cutter and the depending frame 76 can not move axially of the shaft 10, the width of the opening 87 will at all times be in a definiterelationship in an axial direction to the eflective cutting face of the rotary milling cutter. The depth of the skive maybe regulated by manipulation of the adjustable stop 98 for swinging the support 7 8 toward or away from the cutting face.

Having described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The method of covering the breast of a heel which consists in laying against the breast of the heel a flap split from the sole of a shoe to whichthe heel is attached, the flap being long enough to extend beyond the top lift attaching face of the heel, splitting the end portion of the flap which projects beyond the heel to form a divided tab, and laying the divided tab against the top lift attachingface of the heel.

2. The method of covering the breast of a heel having a rear and side cover margin which is inturned5 on its top lift attaching face,'which consists in laying against the breast of the heel .a flap split from the sole of a shoe to which the heel is attached, the

flap being long enoughto extend beyond the top lift attachingface of the heel,.positioning said flap in a machine having a cutter,

a gage against-which the toplift attaching face of the heel is rested to determine the location of the trimming cut, and laying the heel.

8. The method of covering thebreast of a heel having a rear and side cover margin which is inturned, on-itstop lift attaching face, which consists in laying against the breast of the heel a flap split from the sole of a shoeto which the heel is attached, the flap being longenough to extendbeyond the top lift attaching face of the heel, positioning said flap in a machine having a cutter, trimming the end portion of the flap which pro jects beyond the heel to form a tab shaped to fit within said inturned cover margin while utilizing a portion of a cutter as a gage against which the top lift attaching face of the heel is rested to determine the location of the trimming cut, laying the tab against the top lift attaching face of the heel, and slriving the tab.

4. The method of covering the breast of a heel which consists in laying against the breast of the heel a flap split from the sole of a shoe to which the heel as attached, the flap being long enough to extend beyond the top lift attaching face of the heel, position ing said flap in a machine having a cutter, trimming the portion of the flap which projects beyond the top lift attaching face of the heel to remove surplus material from the flap and form a tab thereon while utilizing a portion of the cutter as a gageagainst'which said face is rested to determine the location I tab against the tcpnft attaching face of the of the trimming cut, and laying the tab on the top-lift attaching face of the heel.

5. The method of covering the breast of a heel which consists in laying against the breast of the heel a flap split from the sole ofa shoe to which the heel is attached, the flap being long enough to extend beyond the top lift attaching face of the heel, positioning said flap in a machine having a cutter, trimming the portion of the flap which projects beyond the top lift attaching face of the heel to remove surplus material from the flap and form a tab thereon while utilizing a portion of the cutter as a gage againstwhich said face is rested to determine the location of the trimming cut, laying the tab against the top liftattaching face of the heel, and smoothing simultaneously the por-- tions of the flap overlying the portions of the breast and top lift attaching faces of the heel contiguous to the junction of the breast and the top lift attaching face.

' efThe ae'aoa offormingatal atih @1161 portion of a breastfi'ap split from the sole ofas'hoe to which a heelis attached, which tioning inoperative relation to a cutter thev endiportion of the breast. flap by utilizing a portion of the cutter as 'a' gage against which said face of'the heel of the shoe is'rested to determine the amount of surplus-flap to be cut andthe position of the tab to be formed,

' and trimming thesurplus material from the ap., .7 v I l 7; A method of applying a' heel breast covering flap to "a'heel attached to a shoe which comprises laying'anadhesively coated flap which flap extends beyond the top lift attaching face of the heel against the breast of the heel, positioning the flapin a machine having a cutter, simultaneously cutting surplus material fromthe end of the fiap,'and forming a split tab portion arrangedto be laid over the top lift attaching face of the heel while utilizing a portion of the cutter as a gage against which said face of the heel is rested to determine the amount of sur' 'lus fiap to be cut and the position'of the ta to be formed, layingthe split tab against the top lift attaching face of the heel, 'simul: taneously pressing the split portions of the tab and the lower breast portion of the heel to lay the flap neatly overthe corner formed by the junction of the heelbreast and the 'toplift attaching face ofthe heel, and skiving the tab portions.

8. A machine fortrimming heelcoverings having, in combination, a cutting table arranged to support a'marginalportion of a heel covering extending beyond a corner of a heelto which the covering is attached, and a cutter havinga surface against which a side of the heel adjacent'to said corner may be rested to position the portion of the heel covering relatively to the cutter, said cutter having a cutting edgeiconstructed and arranged to form a tab uponthe portion of the covering extending beyond the corner of the heel andalso. being constructed to trim surplus material'from said portion. f 9. A machine for trimming heel coverings having, in combination, a cutting table arranged to support a marginal portion of a Y heel covering extending beyond a corner of the heel'towhich the covering is attached, and'areciprocating knife having a surface against which a side of the heel adjacent to said corner may be rested to position the portion of the flap extending beyond said corner relatively to the knife, said knife having a cutting edge constructed and arranged to form upon theportion of the covering extending beyond the corner of the heel a tab of predetermined shape and also being constructed to trim surplus material from the said portion of the covering. i

10 'A machine for trimming heel coverings having,in combination, a cutting table applied, and a knife'having a surface against which the lif -attaching face of the heel-is restedflaccurately to'locatel relatively to the knife the portion of the covering extending beyond the "lift-attaching" face, said knife having a cutting'edge constructed and ar-' ranged to cut a tabfroin said portion of the covering at the end of the heel-breast-covering flap and also being constructed to trim Eurplus material from the end of the'said '11. A trimming machine having, in combination, a cutting table constructed and ar ranged to support the marginal portion of a heel-breast-covering Lfiap attached to a heel and extending beyond the top-lift-receiving face of the heel, a knifeihaving a plane surface constructed and arranged for engagein ment with said toplift-receivin'g face and for cooperation with the table to positionthe heel and its extending fiap relativelyj to the knife, said knife comprising a U-sliaped cuttingedge constructed and. arranged to form in the extending'portion of the flap a tab extending beyond the top-lift-receiving face ofthe-heeland also comprising laterally ex; tending cutting edges constructed and arranged to trim the portions of thefiap atop v posite sides of the tab flushwith the top-liftre'ceiving'face of theheel and to trim surplus material from'the flap, and means for moving said cutter into and out of engagement with the table.' I

12. A machine for trimming heel-breastcovering'flaps having, in combination, a cutting table arranged to support a marginal portion-of a heel covering extending beyond the lift-attaching face of the-heel,'a cutter having a cutting edge including a rearward ly extendi'nglobe portion and having laterally extending wings forming a substantially plane surface T against which the lift-attaching face of the heel maybe rested in order to positionsaid portion relatively to the cute ter, said cutter being" constructed and arranged toform a tab at the end of the heelbreast-covering flap and also being constructe'dto trim surplus material from the end of the fiap, a-nd' means for moving the cutter through the material against the supporting surface.

been laidupon the breast of a heel and the 7 end portion of which extends beyond "the toplift-attaching ffaceof the heel by utilizing a portion of the cutter as a gage against which the top-lift-attaching face ofthe heel is rested and trimming the end portion of the flap so positioned to form a tab arranged to be laid upon the top-lift-attaching face of .the heel. f 14. The method of covering heels consisting in positioning in operative relation to a cutter a heel-breast-covering flap which has been laid upon the breast of a heel and the end portion of which extends beyond'the toplift-attaching face of the heel, by utilizing a portion of the cutter as a gage against which the top-lift-receiving face of the heel is rested and trimming the end portion of the flap so positioned to form a tab arranged to be laid upon the top-lift-attaching face of the heel and to trim superfluous material from the end of the flap.

15. A trimming machine having, in combination, a cutting table constructed and arranged to support the marginal portion of a heel-breast-covering flap attached to a heel and extending beyond the top-lift-receiving face of the heel, a knife having a plurality of surfaces arranged in a plane and constructed and arranged for engagement with the toplift-receiving face and for cooperating with the table to position the heel and its extending flap relatively to the knife, said knife having a U-shaped cutting edge constructed and arranged to form in the extending portion of the flap a tab extending beyond the top-lift-receiving face of the heel and shaped to fit inside an inturned heel side cover which has been secured to the top-lift-receiving face of the heel and also comprising laterally extending cutting edges located at the bottoms of said planar surfaces and constructed and arranged to trim the portions of the flap i at opposite sides of the tab flush with the 49 top-lift-receiving face of the heel and also to trim surplus material from the flap, and means for moving said cutter into and out of engagement with the flap-supporting table.

16. A trimming machine having, in combination, a cutting table constructed and arranged to support the marginal portion of a heel-breast-covering flap attached to a heel and extending beyond the top-lift-receiving face of the heel, a knife having a plurality of plane surfaces constructed and arranged for engagement with said top-lift-receiving face and for cooperating with the table to position the heel and its extending flap relatively to the knife, said knife comprising a U-shaped cutting edge constructed and arranged to form in the extending portion of the flap a tab extending beyond the top-lift- 0 receiving face of the heel and also comprising a tab-snipping knife constructed and arranged to divide the tab into two parts and laterally extending cutting edges constructed and arranged to trim the'portions of the B5 flap at opposite sides of the tab flush with the top-lift-receiving face of the heel and JOSEPH GOULDBOURN. 

